CORR Insights^®: Anterior and Anterolateral Approaches for THA Are Associated With Lower Dislocation Risk Without Higher Revision Risk

Excerpt

The direct anterior approach for THA has garnered substantial interest among total joint surgeons. A Google search for “anterior approach hip” returned 1,190,000 matches. The most common claims of superiority of direct anterior approach include: Decreased length of hospital stay, quicker rehabilitation, less blood loss, shorter surgery, less postoperative pain, lower risk of dislocation, more natural return to function and activity, and shorter incisions. In fact, one manufacturer’s website (http://​www.​aboutstryker.​com/​hip/​procedures/​procedures-daa.​php) emphasizes that the new approach can be done through a three or four inch incision, compared to eight to 12 inches for a more-traditional approach, which the manufacturer also says “requires a significant disturbance of the joint and connecting tissues.” …